The present invention relates generally to a mercury-free composition capable of emitting radiation if excited. In particular, the invention relates to a radiation source comprising an ionizable composition being capable of emitting radiation if excited.
Ionizable compositions are used in discharge sources. In a discharge radiation source, radiation is produced by an electric discharge in a medium. The discharge medium is usually in the gas or vapor phase and is preferably contained in a housing capable of transmitting the radiation generated out of the housing. The discharge medium is usually ionized by applying an electric field created by applying a voltage across a pair of electrodes placed across the medium. Radiation generation occurs in gaseous discharges when energetic charged particles, such as electrons and ions, collide with gas atoms or molecules in the discharge medium, causing atoms and molecules to be ionized or excited. A significant part of the excitation energy is converted to radiation when these atoms and molecules relax to a lower energy state, and in the process emit the radiation.
Gas discharge radiation sources are available and operate in a range of internal pressures. At one end of the pressure range, the chemical species responsible for the emission is present in very small quantities, generating a pressure during operation of a few hundreds of Pascals or less. The radiating chemical species may sometimes constitute as little as 0.1% of the total pressure.
Gas discharge radiation sources having a total operating pressure at the low end of the pressure range and radiating at least partly in the UV spectrum range can convert UV radiation to visible radiation via the use of appropriate phosphors, which can absorb the UV radiation and emit visible light through the process of fluorescence; hence such sources are often referred to as fluorescent sources. The color properties of fluorescent sources are determined by the phosphors used to coat the tube. A mixture of phosphors is usually used to produce a desired color appearance.
Other gas discharge sources, including high intensity discharge sources, operate at relatively higher pressures (from about 0.05 MPa to about 20 MPa) and relatively high temperatures (higher than about 600° C.). These discharge sources usually contain an inner arc tube enclosed within an outer envelope.
Many commonly used discharge radiation sources contain mercury as a component of the ionizable composition. Disposal of such mercury-containing radiation sources is potentially harmful to the environment. Therefore, it is desirable to provide mercury-free discharge compositions capable of emitting radiation, for use in radiation sources and other applications.